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Do you think that a good cardmaker can also make just as good scrapbook pages? I seem to be better at making cards than pages. My pages aren't bad, they just aren't as good as my cards. My sister has the opposite problem. She's an accomplished scrapbooker, but can't seem to make a card unless I'm practically holding her hand!
I think they are two totally different animals.....so to speak. Some of the ideas and techniques are the same but the sheer size difference plays into it quite a bit. I love doing cards, I think it is because I love working with a small canvas. My scrapbooking could use some help.....
Interesting topic though, I'll be curious to see what others say....
I've tried, but I just can't scrapbook. I can't wrap my head around a 12x12 page, too much space! Also, I don't like to be limited by the colors and theme of the pictures.
You know, I was thinkin' about this the other day.
I think it depends on the artist, and how much experience they have.
I'm accustomed to working an A-2 or smaller canvas. (4 1/4 x 5 1/2" card)
Expand that to 6" square, and it becomes quite a challenge for me. I consider myself a pretty sucky scrapbooker; for me, it's because I don't practice. And, I don't practice because I have to work much longer to get things to work out, and before I know it, I've spent an entire weekend on a two page spread. :?
So, then I get annoyed and I quit, and just go make a card in 15 minutes so I can happy up again. :p
I think the other thing, is that I don't approach it from a "life artist" standpoint, altho I admire the philosophy behind it. I just wanna get the pics into an album so if someone wants to look at 'em later, they're there, and be done with it.
And, that may be because I am also not a phenomenal photographer--my every day shots are just your typical every day shots, taken with a very average camera--almost always too far away, nothing unusual, no spectacular angles, sometimes fuzzy or blurred, or lots of crap in the background . . . I don't think ahead and set up the shots I take of my family and I often don't realize there's a KitchenAide Mixer and a pile of junk mail next to a dirty coffee cup in the background until I'm looking at the photo later on . . .
It's hard for me to then be enthused or excited about scrapbooking these unextrodinary photos, but, that might change if I ever got a fantastic camera, and took some photography lessons! ;)
But, because of that I find it daunting and sometimes depressing, and it doesn't actually inspire me to document my family history.
Also, I still can't figure out why anybody would want to view someone's scrapbook layouts of their shoe collections or the contents of their purses . . . and, yet, these sorts of things are often featured in the magazines . . . not the only things, of course . . . but, it's the sorta stuff that actually repels me from scrapbooking, rather than drawing me to it . . .
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
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I too seem to be more of a card maker only because I prefer to give my art away.
I have only made one scrapbook, two years ago, and gave that away as well. It was a 50th anniversary gift for my parents. It turned out extremely well - considering it was my first attempt at scrapbooking. It was a year long project.
I recently made two 12x12 pages for a daughter of friend of mine, which yes, you guessed it - I gave to her as a birthday gift.
I guess I feel that I don't have such an exciting life to memoralize into a book. Not having any children, that omits a huge part of the scrapbooking theme.
I do admire the scrappers that craft their everyday life, as JulieHRR mentioned, the stuff in their purse etc. Those pages are always so much fun to look at.
Perhaps, for me, what it comes down to is time. I prefer to spend my time making things (cards) for others and not investing the time it takes for scrapping on myself.
__________________ Some call me Pinky, some call me Lori - I answer to both Pinky's Pictorial DREAM as if you could live forever, LIVE as if you only have today.
Well, I'm the odd ball. I have been scrapbooking for almost 10 years and just really got into card making within the last 6 months. I'm still learning alot about card making, but alot of the things I do with scrapbooking carry over into cards. I sb 12x12. but I love working with the small canvas of a card. Personally, I think they are 2 completely different venues. Using pictures and journaling makes it different- I think.
I've scrapbooked since before it was the big thing it is now-- back in high school I made my own supplies from construction paper and the like. ;) My problem with the scrapbooking is that it takes a lot of time and space, neither of which is always practical with two small children. I have a stack of half-finished albums.
But... the last year or so I've gotten into cardmaking, and I'm finding that I really prefer it. I think because it's much less of a time investment, plus I get to share it with someone right away.
As to which I'm better at... well, probably scrapbooking, just because I have a lot more experience.
I too started out as a scrapbooker...have been doing so for over 10 years. My style and skill has evolved in that time. I started making cards just a little over 2 years ago, and I think, as evidenced by my gallery, that my cardmaking skills have evolved.
A major difference for me is that the inspiration comes from many different places in cardmaking, but is limited to mainly photographs for scrapbooking. Luckily, my photography skills have improved, but it helps to have a child as a subject...I find myself taking photos of everything!
Long story short...I think if you start as a scrapbooker, cardmaking is a natural extension of that, but if the other way around, it is harder. Just a thought!
Nancy
__________________ Visit my GALLERY...you know you want to...or at least I WANT you to!
I am an avid scrapbooker and trying so hard to be also a cardmaker. I find it so difficult to make a card. It seems as though it would be so much easier given the canvas to work upon. I suppose its a different style all together and one you just have to work on. I shall not give up.
I may be naive...but I think I do both well. I started as as a scrapbooker, but my style is NOTHING like what is popular! I'm OK with that because I really do like my own style better! (As Jan Tink would say, YILM!)
I had a hard time at first being making cards because it bothered me that I spent so much time on something I gave away. Once I found a good SU demo I realized that I could make fun cards that didn't take all day.
For me the key has been to find my own style and not worry if it didn't meet the "popular" trends.
I started scrapbooking almost 5 years ago, and I HATED it when I had to make a card because I never liked what I made...until I went to my first SU workshop 2 yrs ago! I got instantly addicted to stamps and stamping...for cardmaking! And then I found SCS...the rest is history!! Scrapbooking has taken a bit of a backseat ever since. My DH was complaining the other day that I don't do enough scrapping anymore...all I ever do is make cards and 'what's the point of THAT!?' (please don't lynch him, he means well enough) I love the creative process of making a card and the end result comes much quicker!! A SB page can sometimes take DAYS!!!!!! Needless to say, I have pulled out some photos and started getting some pages done as per hubby's request, and I'm finding it refreshing and fun (although it still takes MUCH longer than a card)! I am working on an album specifically for him, but I stop and make cards in between layouts to vent my A2/stamping needs!!
I would say that all I've learned in cardmaking/papercrafting in the last two years has certainly added to my ability to scrapbook! Color, composition, texture, balance etc. I think that they are 'apples and oranges' kind of crafts! They use the same products and tools...but a very different canvas!
I want to say I'm better at making cards than scrapbooking, but that may just be because I send the cards out and don't have to look at them anymore, whereas the scrapbooks just stick around and taunt me with how outdated or bad they look! I started stamping on cards, so I have more experience with them. I think a lot of people probably are more comfortable with one or the other, although I've seen some ladies here who beautiful cards and pages in their galleries.
I am a scrapbooker and started that almost 4 years ago. Then 2 years ago I realized I could make cards with my scraps and sell them to make money for more scrapping supplies. So I am both, but my cards aren't as intricate as those you probably may make.
Not having any children, that omits a huge part of the scrapbooking theme.
As someone who finds scrapbooking easier than card-making, some of the things people think about scrapbookers or scrapbooking is a little hard to swallow...
But this one, I can address personally. I don't have kids. Have been scrapbooking for 3.5 years. I've, oddly enough, found plenty to scrap about. I have and I have hobbies, we're involved in my church, we travel, we have pets, and friends, and family, and experience all sorts of events in life that I would love to remember. And I choose to dress the pictures up a bit before I put them in the photo album.
It takes me forever to do a card, but I can do a layout in less than an hour. :-) It all just depends on what your time in the past has been spent on! What are you used to?
I get the size of the canvas and the industry as being two things to discourage stampers from expanding to scrapbooking, but the time and "worthiness" are all in the eye of the beholder, just as in making cards.
my son is a senior this year so i wanted to do a scrapbook to have out for his open house.
i have always been intimidated by scrapbooking. it is such a big canvas.
i did the first page and it really kinda sucked.
i have taken another stab at it and i am loving it! each page gets better and more fun.
i think i will be doing more scrapbooks!
TFS! My son is a Senior too and I would like to have something out for him at his Open House, even if its not a huge book. He was in the Snow Daze court and there are other pictures that I think would be fun to have out. I'm not really sure how to start but I feel the same way about a 12 x 12 page - yikes! I'm just going to start and even if I don't love it I'm going to keep working on it (I'm going to keep telling myself this....). It does help to know that I'm not the only card maker that is a little intimidated by a scrapbook page.
I do both, started scrapbooking maybe 10 yrs ago and the card making (SU) 3 yrs ago. I got into stamping because I wanted to incorporate into my scrapbooking. I have spent most of my time card making but am getting back into scrapbooking again. The scrapbook challenges and layouts are helping motivate me, just like the gallery motivated my card making. I love SCS!
I do both, love both, and am growing in both. But they are totally different in my mind because
1) Scrapping is about the photos and the stories. The "audience" is my family and descendants and myself. I am moving toward the "life artist" approach and really enjoy the freedom and broad subject matter that offers over birthdays and Easter egg hunts and yet another page of a Christmas tree. I'm a writer, so I know how to make the "everyday" stories sound as special as they are. And it just makes me happy to make these "ordinary" pages.
2) Cards are about a straightforward message (Thinking of you, Happy Birthday, etc.) and/or image, and they offer a smaller canvas with quicker satisfaction than SB pages. Cards are also for others. I make them to give them away and often make them for a specific person. What a great expression of love and affection!
I even keep my cardmaking supplies and scrapping supplies separate--12x12 paper is on different shelves from my SU cs, and my stamps for scrapping are in different drawers from the stamps for cardmaking. Since my scrapping style is not highly embellished and focuses on photos and words, I mainly just use journaling stamps, alphabets, and sets like Office Accoutrement on pages.
It's very easy for me to see why some people prefer one over the other, though I do fail to understand the animosity people sometimes express toward one or the other. It's just a matter of personal preference, like how some artists prefer working in oils, others in watercolor or pastels or clay.
I do both, but i have been a stamper for many years, and then i decided scrapbooks were something else that could get stamped on. ( so for a couple of years i fell deep into the scrap all kinds of things pit, you know the "if its not in the scrapbook it didn't happen" thing...) which really burned me out on it, so. I went back to making cards. {Instant gratification is a high point for cardmaking for me.}
last year i did one whole 12 x12 page. with a photograph my g-pa took of my g-ma's hands in the 70's. ( he's been taking wonderful photos for many years so, I have lots to play with when Im ready)
and I'm OK with this,
I found all the sizes of scrapbooks to be exciting.
and DH and i both are interested in photography so, we do have decent pictures to play with.
and thats how I think of it all,
just playing with the papers (and or photos or stamps)
. . . It's very easy for me to see why some people prefer one over the other, though I do fail to understand the animosity people sometimes express toward one or the other. It's just a matter of personal preference, like how some artists prefer working in oils, others in watercolor or pastels or clay . . .
I think it's kinda like the mainstream vs. avant garde stamping wars that were very prevalent when I first started over 13 years ago (sometimes referred to as cute vs. weird). Each group held disdain for the other, which I never understood either . . . it appears nowadays to have lessened considerably, tho. At least, it seems to me, anyway . . . mebbe I'm not hangin' out in the right places, tho! Hah!
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
Do you think that a good cardmaker can also make just as good scrapbook pages? I seem to be better at making cards than pages. My pages aren't bad, they just aren't as good as my cards. My sister has the opposite problem. She's an accomplished scrapbooker, but can't seem to make a card unless I'm practically holding her hand!
I'm JUST like your sister...LOL!
I'm working on cardmaking techniques...it hasn't been easy though! They seem to be two different animals (in my mind). I do wonder why people think one is better than the other :( so sad...
I think it's kinda like the mainstream vs. avant garde stamping wars that were very prevalent when I first started over 13 years ago (sometimes referred to as cute vs. weird). ...
I think it's kinda like the mainstream vs. avant garde stamping wars that were very prevalent when I first started over 13 years ago (sometimes referred to as cute vs. weird). Each group held disdain for the other, which I never understood either . . . it appears nowadays to have lessened considerably, tho. At least, it seems to me, anyway . . . mebbe I'm not hangin' out in the right places, tho! Hah!
I've definitely noticed a difference in style among scrappers. Most of the magazines cater to the "put eleventy-seven embellishments on a page with one or two photos" style. I think because then they can sell ads for eleventy-seven products ;)
I'm more of a "put 3-4 photos on a page, add a couple of embellies to tie it together, and tell a little bit about the backstory" scrapper. For that reason, I ♥ ♥ ♥ Club Scrap and their kits. The teach "assembly line" scrapping, which fits my style perfectly. I can get 12-13 pages prefabbed in a couple of hours tops, and then I can add photos and final embellishments later. If you count the prefab time, and my adding photos and journaling time, I probably get a two page spread done in about 25 minutes.
I don't see the point of spending 2 hours on a page with one photo that tells no story, just carries the title "beauty" or "those eyes" or whatever. Take that back, if you hang it as wall art, yes. But an album of those sorts of pages, I don't get it.
Forgot to keep this on topic, LOL. I approach cardmaking in much the same way I approach scrapping. I much prefer working from a sketch. I think that's the hardest part, so if I have a blueprint to work from, that seems to open many more creative avenues for me. As any writer will tell you, there's nothing harder than staring at a blank page.
I love to do both scrapping and cardmaking, and many of the techniques I am learnign are the same for both. But I personally feel much more internal "pressure" to be perfect on a scrapbook page because it is there for posterity whereas cards are more transitory (okay so I save some of them forever too!) I think that with cards a lot of the "umph" (technical term!) that the receiver gets is from knowing the time and effort and care that was contributed by the sender. A scrapbook page is more about the actual appearance and subject. I think it gets, if not easier, than perhaps more rewarding, the more you do, the more you stretch and then the better results that you get.
TFS! My son is a Senior too and I would like to have something out for him at his Open House, even if its not a huge book. He was in the Snow Daze court and there are other pictures that I think would be fun to have out. I'm not really sure how to start but I feel the same way about a 12 x 12 page - yikes! I'm just going to start and even if I don't love it I'm going to keep working on it (I'm going to keep telling myself this....). It does help to know that I'm not the only card maker that is a little intimidated by a scrapbook page.
Why don't you try making an 8x8 album; this might be less intimidating as the pic's will take up more of the "canvas". Just a thought, and your son will love whatever you come up with as it was made for him, etc.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Debra Cherney
TFS! My son is a Senior too and I would like to have something out for him at his Open House, even if its not a huge book. He was in the Snow Daze court and there are other pictures that I think would be fun to have out. I'm not really sure how to start but I feel the same way about a 12 x 12 page - yikes! I'm just going to start and even if I don't love it I'm going to keep working on it (I'm going to keep telling myself this....). It does help to know that I'm not the only card maker that is a little intimidated by a scrapbook page.
my demo gave me a GREAT idea!
i do not have a good chronological system to all the pix so she told me she did an 'ABC' book for her son.
ie. A is for..., B is for..., (i did A is for Aunt..., B is for bus...) you get the idea.
Why don't you try making an 8x8 album; this might be less intimidating as the pic's will take up more of the "canvas". Just a thought, and your son will love whatever you come up with as it was made for him, etc.
That's what I've done.
I started stamping over 3 1/2 years ago and then wanted to start scrapping too. I started with 12x12 and I did get an entire album done - but it really stressed me out! Plus it didn't help that doing 12x12 layouts take up a lot of space and I make a HUGE mess!!
I recently switched to 8x8 and am having way more fun with it. I don't think my pages come close to "real" scrappers pages......but I'm getting there!
To answer your question.............. No, I don't think that if someone is a good cardmaker they also are a good scrapbooker. Some of my favorite artists make AWESOME cards but their pages are just way too busy in my opinion. I started scrapbooking almost 12 years ago and have been cardmaking for almost 9 years. I think I am equally good at both BUT I am a simple scrapper and a simple cardmaker. I tend to work better with a bigger "canvas" as Julie would say. Scrapbooking is my passion and making cards I do because sometimes I just want to have a different outlet.
Hope that made sense. I don't mean that everyone who is a great card maker is a bad scrapbooker but I don't think it is the same thing at all. Some just don't have the knack for one or the other and some have it for both.
I've been doing both for many many years--early 90s. One thing about the 'huge blank canvas' of a 12 x 12 page escaped me--because when I started, the pages were 8.5 x 11!
Anyhow I do think that the two crafts go hand in hand. When the inspiration isn't there for one, the other is there to pick up the slack. Right now I'm in a personal scrapping slump, but my cardmaking is getting better and better.
FOR THOSE DOING SENIOR ALBUMS: Don't approach it as 'making a scrapbook' so much as doing a 'yearbook'. Most high school yearbooks are much less embellished, and much more devoted to pix of the event. I am working on my nephew's football scrapbook which will span sophomore thru senior. I have the first 2 years pages in and will go back later to add embellies--but not even many of those. Put in the events and let the pix and articles tell the story. Simple mats, clean titles--these work great for boys. For girls, you many need more embellies, but keeping it simple has always been what my style has been.
Sure wish I had had my Cricut back when I did my son's albums! (He graduated in 2000.)
__________________ Yes, I am aware that I have glitter on my face! My Gallery My Blog
I started both at the same time. I do ok with both. I am not as artistic as many are, but that works for me. My gravitation towards card making is the sense of accomplishment I get out of a sitting. It takes so long for me to get my pics together and find paper and put it all together so therefore, I often have to prep in one sitting and crop in another. With Cardmaking, I am able to finish one card at a minimum and it allows me to feel like I have gotten something done. My scrapbook pages do tend to be more involved which could be part of my "problem"
I do think I am going to move from a 12x12 format to either 8 1/2 X 11 or 8x8 just for storage sake. I just hope I can get all my journaling in.
I wish I wish with all my might, to find some time to scrap tonight!
I am glad that cardmaking has incorporated DP as I have a ton that I will never use for a page layout, but I really enjoy.
T
__________________ Jennie "There is more to life than increasing it's speed".. .Mahatma Gandhi
I am kind of a plain card maker and seem to carry that into scrapbooking. That said, once in a while I surprise myself in both and come up with something great.
I just added a scrapping night to my calendar to specifically set aside some time to scrap. I have a neighbor's book to complete by June so that will be my impetus! Deb Za, I may be in touch as this book will also be football oriented.
I started stamping about 11 years ago when my SIL had a DOTS party. Played around with that for about a year or two until my DH came home with a scrapbook mag for me(and yes he now regrets it even though he likes looking through them.) I started out in 8 1/2 x 11, and moved up to 12 x 12. My problem now is I have a hard time with layouts as small as an A-2 card.
I've been scrapbooking for 6 years now. Started soon after my wedding with my wedding album. i had no idea what I was doing, but whatever I found at Michael's or JoAnn's (stamps, embossing powders, stickers) was incorporated into my scrapbook. I then used my scrapbooking supplies to make cards, and it never occurred to me that they were two different things. I still approach them as the same thing, just a different size. I scrap all different sizes, just depends on what album the pages will go into.
It also never occurred to me that I don't have kids so what will I scrap. I have shelves devoted to holding completed scrapbook albums, all without any children of my own (This is a sore subject with me since I've recently been asked by many women what I could possibly have to scrap). I still have a life! I have friends and family, an adorable puppy, my husband and I like to travel a lot, and he loves to have his picture taken. I have no shortage of pics to scrap. I'm years and years behind in pics waiting to be scrapped, and I have yet to do a life artist type page. It's not my style, I prefer events/ occassions/things I've done type of pages.
I've been doing both for many many years--early 90s. One thing about the 'huge blank canvas' of a 12 x 12 page escaped me--because when I started, the pages were 8.5 x 11!
Anyhow I do think that the two crafts go hand in hand. When the inspiration isn't there for one, the other is there to pick up the slack. Right now I'm in a personal scrapping slump, but my cardmaking is getting better and better.
FOR THOSE DOING SENIOR ALBUMS: Don't approach it as 'making a scrapbook' so much as doing a 'yearbook'. Most high school yearbooks are much less embellished, and much more devoted to pix of the event. I am working on my nephew's football scrapbook which will span sophomore thru senior. I have the first 2 years pages in and will go back later to add embellies--but not even many of those. Put in the events and let the pix and articles tell the story. Simple mats, clean titles--these work great for boys. For girls, you many need more embellies, but keeping it simple has always been what my style has been.
Sure wish I had had my Cricut back when I did my son's albums! (He graduated in 2000.)
i am an avid scrapper and an even more avid card maker. i started as a card maker and that is my first love, but the scrapper and stamper world weave together whenever i do my pages. i use all both worlds have to offer. i have made my albums 12 x 12, but i plan on trying smaller ones as gifts.
both entice me in two totally different realms, yet i find i incorporate alot of me on both in the same style of design and dimension. i love them both!
__________________ "grandma squared" janice aka *favorites stalker* MY BLOG
I've been stamping and card-making for about a year and a half. I never even thought of scrap-booking before until I found out I could actually make some nice cards. I'd like to start scrapping soon, but I only just got some of my photos printed out (2 year collection). I'm still drawn to card-making because I enjoy being able to finish a project in one sitting and I really like giving cards to friends and family. It's great that SCS has member galleries for us to document our artwork and all the details (stamps, colors, accessories) so that I can go back and refer to what I did, if I need to make another similar card. It's good to know that there are those of you who can do both scrapbooking and stamping. There's hope for me yet!
__________________ Live, Laugh, Love and Learn The joy of the Lord is my strength
Good cardmakers=good scrapbookers?
